College admissions are a process in themselves. Anyone who has gone through it would tell you stories of how long they had to stand in queues, how many times college officials made them run around to get one document or another and how, till the very last minute, they weren't even sure if the admission process was complete.

However, collecting relevant information and planning the entire admission procedure in advance can easily help reduce the stress and strain it involves.

Once you have made up your mind regarding the option you would like to pursue -- Arts, Commerce or Science -- do some research. Talk to your friends and your family or go online and find out which colleges offer you the options you are interested in. Be as thorough in your research as possible; after all, it is a matter of your career and your future.

After you've narrowed down on the colleges you wish to apply to, you need to find out the admission procedure. Visit the college website or, if possible, visit the college and find out exactly what the admission procedure is (when you can collect your application form, the documents you need to submit, timelines, etc.)

Once you know what you need, it is all about collecting the necessary documents and submitting them. Most colleges have a similar list of documents that candidates need to produce at the time of admission. Given below is a list of some of the documents you'll need:

Preliminary registration form: This is available at the college admissions office, usually along with the college prospectus. The form is to be filled and duly submitted with the other documents, at the time of admission. If a candidate wishes to apply for more than one course, separate application forms for each will need to be submitted.

Apart from the application form, colleges usually collect the original and one attested copy of the following documents:

Mark sheet and pass certificate of the last examination you've given. Photocopies of these documents need to be attested by the concerned authority and are usually attested while leaving school. In some cases, the concerned university may attest them. The original certificates (along with attested photocopies) will need to be submitted (along with a demand draft). Later, they can then either be collected personally from the college or may be posted to your address.

Domicile certificate: This is required as proof that the applicant is a domicile/ resident of the state/ union territory (UT) by which the certificate is issued. To obtain a domicile certificate, you have to fill the prescribed application form (available online or from the local authorities) as specified in the state/ UT of your residence. Proof of continuous residence in the state/ UT for a specified minimum period, or that of holding land in the state/ UT (depending on the rules in the state/ UT concerned) needs to be produced. Certain additional documents such as proof of identity, school leaving certificate may be required to obtain a domicile certificate.

Provisional certificate from the institution last attended. If a candidate is applying to a college outside his/ her home state, he/ she will need a provisional eligibility certificate from the education board of the state he/ she is applying in.

Secondary school certificate (Class X) issued by the board/ university for verification of date of birth.

School leaving certificate

A character certificate from the institution last attended, in case it is not a part of the provisional certificate (mentioned above).

Students claiming the benefit of handicapped quota/ children of officers and men of armed forces killed or disabled in war are required to get their names registered with the concerned university office.

In the case of foreign students, the following documents (with photocopies) are required to be produced at the time of application:

Provisional eligibility certificate

Valid student visa

Passport

Residential permit

Non-resident Indian (NRI) students applying to colleges in India will need to have the following documents:

Provisional eligibility certificate

Passport

College admissions need not be a hassle if a few simple steps are followed on time. It's just a matter of collecting the relevant information and getting together all the documents required.

What was it like when you applied for admission to college? Did you sweat it out in a serpentine queue waiting to pick up your admission form or run from pillar to post while trying to find out when the admissions list would be published? Share your experience, advice and list of dos and don'ts with other Get Ahead readers. Write in to getahead@rediff.co.in.